Let Me Show You Just What I'm Made Of
by Sakuyasha-chan
Summary: When Sakura shows up one day with a long white mane and new attitude, what's her excuse? It hurts too much to shove 'em under a hat, and it feels good to let my REAL hair down once in a while. Sakura reveals things hidden,and finds love too. NEJxS
1. Chapter 1

She looked down with golden, bewildered, catatonic eyes.

The small, blood speckled lips hanging agape.

* * *

Oh, why? She thought in confused pain. Why did her insides quiver and flip so? Why her, when the one that should have been experiencing this horrid feeling had been so deserving of it? Oh, that was right. The other woman had her entire digestive track practically hanging out of her lower back! 

A thick, hot wave of pain and confusion washed over her pajama-clad form as it lay entangled in a mass of hair(hers and 'kaa-san's), blood('kaa-san's and hers also), and human organs(only okaa-san's). Sakura shifted and choked back a scream at the pain. A gleaming, blood-soaked kitchen knife was protruding out the back of her long-sleeved pajama top, right through the sternum. her mother must have felt the same sensation of a foreign object ripping through her, but in the stomach.

"Ssh, ssh." she hushed. "It's alright baby, Mommy's here, Mommy's here. Oh Sakura, my darling, my tenshi-baby…" her voice started to crack in a drunken state of profound fear and anguish. " Fucking Kami, what have I done?!" she whispered hoarsely. "Momma?" Sakura asked surprised. "Why were you so mad? Did I do something?" she was starting to hiccup back tears as blood dripped from the corners of her mouth. "Fuck no, baby!" her 'kaa-san replied, "I could never be mad at that god-given face of yours. Even if I was blind, you hear?!" she tried to crack a broken smile as she replied with faithful conviction. "Mommy, Momma?!" Sakura whispered, panic evident in her voice. "Ssh, ssh. Hush now, Mommy loves you more than anything in the world,  
understand?" Sakura nodded with a panicked frown, eyes tearing. "I love you, Oba-san Sango loves you, Otooji-san Miroku loves you. Daddy loved you more than the air we're breathing, more than money, more than his guitars, more than his motorcycle, hell, tenshi, I think he loved you more than me sometimes!" Kagome gave a laugh that Sakura couldn't decide whether it was bitter or humorous.

And then she died.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Taisho-Higurashi Kagome left the world of the living at the young age of 24. She was the beloved little sister of Higurashi Miroku, the cherished and deeply beloved wife of the late Taisho Inuyasha. Head priestess of the Shikon no Tama Shrine. Loving and revered as a powerful kunoichi, part of konohagakure's legendary  
**_ru-ki_** **_hachi_** **_wakedori_** she will be grieved greatly, missed immensely,and loved forever.

* * *

but this is not her story**.(2)** this is a story about a little girl. no, no, that isn't right. you see, this is not just any story, and this  
wasn't just any little girl. this is the story of a girl who**(2)** assumed an identity, cast on a mask, and treaded into the world of  
secrets, and the danger of keeping them.

* * *

_So,_ _what so you guys think? i think it was pretty good for a first timer. here's a little update though;_

underlined-name of a place

**_bold,underlined,&italics_**-certain group(i.e. rookie nine, akatsuki,etc;)

**bold-**jutsu

- Okay, also, I WILL be using AMJAP**(3)** in my stories to make them...cooler. As such, I will be translating for all the bakas**(4)** out there that only watch the english dub of the anime. Also, I may use a quote in my writing and won't cite it rite there ('cuz it'll disrupt the flow of the story), so I'm going to do it down here with the translations

**(1)** this is the group that Shikato, Kagome, Tsume, Hizashi&Hiashi ,and Inuyasha were apart of. it literally transltes to "the rookie eighth division"... (don't you think there's another reason it's called the rookie nine? weren't mommy and daddy legends too?)   
**(2)**This is from The little girl who was forgotten by absolutely everyone.(even the postman) by Ms. Katy Towell. movies!

thanx for reading the prologue of "Let Me Show You Just What I'm Made Of".

now, i'm not a newbie that writes just for reveiws. i want creative criticism!!!!!!! i want to write a story you like, but i can't do that if you  
don't reveiw and TELL ME!!!!!

(2)bakas-idiots  
(3)AMJAP-as much japanese as possible


	2. Chapter 2

Sakura woke up with wild eyes. "Dammit, I thought I was done with that crappy dream" She sighed. "Jogging time."

Donning a pair of gray sweatpants, a black sports bra, and her hitai-atai, 'Hayate-style' she was out her front door and into the night.

* * *

Nara Shikaku led a normal life. Well, normal by shinobi standards. Actually, he was blessed. He  
had a loving wife, a genius for a son, and had lived a very long life…(also, by shinobi standards.) He was considered an oldtimer at the age of 38! This was deemed ancient because of the missions that all shinobi faced.

And here he was, lounging around outside of the pub that most jounins favored in Konoha. Sighing, the elder Nara glanced at the sake  
in his grip. "Nice outfit kiddo." He chuckled. "Christ Shikaku, I can't help it if I'm a little big for my age!" A sport bra-clad figure hopped off the roof scaffolding with her arms wrapped around her. "Here," Shikaku said, handing her his flak vest. "Put this on. What in Kami's name were you thinking? Running around town, in middle of the night no less, and half naked! You'll catch your death out here Sakura."

"Thanks Shikaku. I need to take better care of myself." the pink-haired kunoichi said. Shikaku's eyes narrowed, his features set in a  
grimace. "My son is getting annoyed. Tsume's little dog-nin is too. And have I mentioned Hiashi has noticed some strange behavior in the branch-boy?" Shikaku ventured, an amused grin now replacing the frown. "Don't call Neji a branch-boy!" Sakura snapped, frowning like a toddler.

"When is the torture going to end Sakura? You know the Naras care for you like a daughter, and Tsume and Hizashi did too." The jounin said in a sympathetic whisper. His eyes locked on the shops across the street as if they were of utmost importance. "Do you know how painful it is to watch your daughter have to lie to herself to avoid ostracism?" Shikaku asked in a hardened voice. "Can you even contemplate how hard it is to watch someone smile, when you can feel the lonliness emanate from them, as if it's a tangible thing?" As her eyes gazed at the cracked sidewalk, she could tell he was about to say something that would hit close to home.Sakura mentally braced herself.

"Plus," she heard the jounin's voice begin to soften. "It was really hard to watch you take that shit from Ino and her little gang, when you could have easily kicked all their bratty asses a hundred times over." He was grinning to himself at that last statement. Ino may have been one of his best friends' daughter and son's teammate, but that didn't mean he had to like her.

"To answer your question Shikaku-san, soon. The name Taisho will be known _very_ soon." Sakura replied vaguely.

* * *

And with that, she dissapated into the darkness, leaving the head of the Nara clan with some information that could be considered very valuable…

if not dangerous…


	3. Chapter 3

It was a normal morning for the residents of The Hidden Leaf village, civilian and shinobi alike. All the local shopkeepers opening up their stores at first light, shady ANBU taking their leave after a long night of guard duty (to catch up on the Z's).

But there was one soul who was losing all the sleep in the world.

* * *

At least eight sake bottles were strewn haphazardly across the ceramic floor. White knuckles clenched the rim of the white porcelain sink, crusted blood streaked across them. A young girl glared at her reflection in the cracked mirror before her, her features set in a snarl, teeth bared. She was different though. This girl had canines that could give the Inuzuka clan a run for its money. "Damn." was all Sakura could muster at the moment. "Fuck. What was that all about?" she thought angrily. "Alright, time to call up the troops." Sakura thought.

* * *

"WHERE IS SHE?!" Naruto screamed for what seemed like the eighteenth time that morning. "Dobe, she probably just overslept." Sasuke said in an annoyed tone. Currently, his back was against the railing of the famous meeting place of _**Team 7**_.

After trying to run away from Konoha to train with the Snake-Sannin, Orochimaru, he fought Naruto at the Valley of the End. He was only dubbed a missing-nin for a year though, after a strange, white-haired girl merely busted in to the fortress and knocked him out. When he woke up, he was in the interrogation center of Konoha's prison. Everyone had thought the Uchiha heir had gone mad, because nobody would believe him when he claimed the girl had furry little _dog ears_, perched atop the crown of her head. Sasuke still claimed to that very day that it was true… (He also told everyone he put up quite a fight, when really, that white-haired chick beat him like he owed her money!) The boy was now fifteen, as were the rest of his old teammates, with the exception of Team Gai. "What the hell is that?" Sasuke asked aloud. He was shocked at what he saw.

* * *

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" A young woman's scream echoed through the streets. "Crap, crap, CRAP!" Sakura blurted out. At the moment, at least ONE-HUNDRED-AND-THIRTY males were chasing the poor kunoichi through the busy sreets. And they were currently gaining. "Thank Kami," she shouted "the bridge!"

* * *

"Huh?" Naruto asked. "What do you mean Teme?" "I mean THAT!" Sasuke grabbed his collar and swung the jinchuriki around to the  
direction he was pointing. "Oh,shit." Kakashi gawked. "When the hell did you get here?!" Naruto screeched. "Just now, and this ain't gonna be pretty boys." Kakashi said.

A wide and mischevious grin was apparent from beneath his mask. "Wait here." he said casually. "What is going on here?!" Naruto asked  
exasperatedly. Kakashi leapt off the ground and into the air, colliding with the stranger, (who obviously had to be a shinobi to jump  
that high). As they were landing, a familiar voice was heard distinctly.

* * *

"GODDAMIT KAKASHI!!!!" it was a female's voice. "I was doing just fine on my own!! I'm not a baby anymore!" "Kami Sakura! Think about my ears!" The two boys on the ground knew that was Kakashi's voice. "Chotto matte! Sakura, is that you?!"  
Naruto yelled. The two shinobi were now on the ground. "Hell yeah it is." Sakura said mischeviously. "What happened to you?!" Sasuke  
asked incredulously. "Yeah Sakura, what did you do to your hair?" Naruto asked, albeit much calmer than before. Sakura was wearing  
her hitai-atai like a beanie, so neither of the boys knew what other suprises were in store for them. "Yeah, why the hell did you dye it?"  
Sasuke asked, regaining his cold composure.

"More like 'took the dye out of it', you bastard." She said with a hint of venom in her voice."Excuse me?" Sasuke asked, his eyes narrowing dangerously.  
A flash of red could be seen behind the slitted lid. "I SAID," she started, adding extra emphasis, "More li-hey! Don't flash those rinky-dink eyes at me punk!" She yelled.  
Sasuke's now-crimson eyes widened in shock. How did she know he had activated his Sharingan? He looked her right in the eye and  
gasped. A pair of slitted pupils flashed dangerously at him, their irises the color of warm gold.  
Needless to say, he was scared shitless...and he didn't know why.


	4. Chapter 4

Hey guys! okay, since my last chapter might not have put a picture in your head, i put some pics in my profile. so if there's a specific picture  
that i want you to see, i'll just put** (POP)** for "picture in profile". thanks and on with the story!!

_

* * *

_

_"Run..."_

"What?" He thought.

"I can't hear you..." He said in a breathy whisper, "Say it again..."

_"Run, and cling to life..."_

"What?"His voice was clear and indignant now. "Say it to my face you cowardly scum!" He roared.

_"I said_..." The voice faded.

"Run." The voice was right behinde him, clear and maliciously familiar.

He whirled around and screamed_. Splurt_. Blood oozed from his stomach. He stared into the refective surface of the katana that was coming  
out the other side of him **(A/N; that means it's through his back and out his tummy**)

* * *

Sasuke shook from his place on the ground. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!?" Naruto screamed. He had just witnessed his best  
friend and rival fall to the ground and scream like a 5 year-old girl! He was horrified.

* * *

Sakura watched as Sasuke fell to the ground, her eyes staring at him with fear and panic. Shit, she thought. She didn't mean to do that! She  
didn't mean to! Breaths were comming in ragged pants, as the girl hyperventilated. "Gomen nasai!" She shouted, clutching her head. "Gomen  
nasai! Gomen nasai!" "Not now!", She thought panickedly. "Not just yet!" And then she screamed.

* * *

"What in Kami's name was that?!" Tenten thought wildly. At the moment, Team Gai was speeding through the trees to the bridge to meet  
Team 7 for a group training excercise. Kurenai and Asuma were not far behind them, Team 8 & 10 in their senseis' wake. "Hey Kiba, you  
catch that?" She yelled over her shoulder. "Sure did!", the shaggy boy said, shouting his reply. "Shika?" He called, "You?" The boy in  
question glanced at the dog nin user and nodded curtly, knowing the fourth member of their inside conversation was already 'in the know'.  
The remainder of the nins' teams had no idea what was going on. Shocked after glancing at her cousin, Hinata slowed her pace through the trees  
to speak with her other teammate. "Shino," She whispered, "Look at Onii-sama! He's got his Byakugan activated for no reason!" Shino turned his bespectacled eyes to where she was pointing, and  
gasped. Peircing white eyes were already transfixed on him, their owner mouthing: 

_"I SEE YOU"_

* * *

Blood. 

It is a normal thing.

It runs through our veins and gives us life. It will definitley stain white material. It's red, but when we see it from the outside, it looks blue.

Donors often give blood to hospitals, so patients can undergo a surgery safely.

One thing can be sure though:

**THERE IS A LOT IN THE HUMAN BODY  
**  
This is a lesson that came all too soon for Taisho Sakura, and it is a lesson that she never forgot. Blood was just a part of her life. Training  
with Daddy in the makeshift arena that took up the back yard was one of them. Beating up the big kids at school that tried  
to pick on Tenten at the local academy was another. And there were other times, to be sure, that she had witnessed the spilling of blood.  
Sometimes not her own, but there were others...

If we fast track ahead, we would be seeing Sakura stradling her teammate, her hands aglow with healing ch'i. This is where the highlight of  
the day began.

* * *

"Naruto, Sasuke, I'm sorry. Especially you, Naruto. Seriously, I don't know what happened just then, but I couldn't stop myself. I'm sorry.  
And Sasuke, I can't imagine a way to apologize to you for what just happened, but please try to believe me when I say I didn't mean to."  
The young girl looked both her teammates in the eye after her apology. 

"Kami, that was so cheesy Gaki " A familiar voice chuckled.  
"Don't call me a brat, teme." Sakura said warningly, all the solemness in her voice was gone. Out of the trees hopped a grinning Inuzuka,  
a smirking Hyuuga, a smiling brunette, kunai twirling in her fingers, and a lazy nin wearing the patented Nara smirk.

"Don't tell me you started the melee without us!" The weapon mistress cheerfully yelled, charging ahead. Teams 10 and 8 were just  
emerging from the canopy when they heard the shouted inquiry from Tenten.

* * *

Kurenai shouted at Kiba. "Don't run off ahead like that!" She  
scolded, "Be polite and wait for us." Gai and Asuma generally had the same sentiments for their teams, chastising them accordingly.

"Uhh, yeah, s-sure, whatever..." Kiba drifted off, scanning the area, trying to pick up the Taisho's scent. "Excuse me?" Kurenai asked  
incredulously. Kiba had never disrespected her like that before! But before the Genjutsu genious could get another word in, her pupil was  
already walking away, his eyes intent on finding the one he searched for.

"Hey Lee! Chouji! How ya been holdin' up? Hinata! You look great! I hope we get a chance to spar! Shino! How ya been dude?" She  
kept on greeting people like nothing was different about her. Smiling from ear to ear, she made her way through the group of conversing  
ninja to find a certain person.

"Hey Tenten!" Sakura called, waving her over to an area a few feet away from the rest of the group. "Wow."  
Tenten said in an awed whisper. "How long has it been since the last time I got to play with that mop of hair?" The two kunoichi sat down  
under a tree a few feet away from the other nin to "talk" amongst themselves. Tenten sat behinde of Sakura and started doing her hair in little  
braids.

"So..." The Weapons Mistress started, "when do they see the real suprise?" Her voice held a mix of anxiousness and reminiscing.  
"Really soon..." The Taisho girl said. "Very,very soon...Hey," Sakura started again, a bit more demurley than before, "I'm thinking of telling  
them everything...the claws, the Family, even the six of us."

Tenten blanched for a moment and paused in her braiding.

"W-what?" She asked in a small voice.

Glancing to her side, Sakura spoke in a whisper that was somewhere between shocked, apologetic, and panicked. "G-gomen Tenten-chan! Gomen!" "No, no, it's alright. It's just that I didn't think that you would want to tell everybody so soon! I'm not mad at you at all!"

"Okay Tenten, tomarrow then. That's when I'll tell them!"


	5. Chapter 5

"So," Neji started, "Do we start?"  
At the moment, Neji was hovering over the indian-style Sakura and Tenten, while the latter had her hands entwined in Sakura's white mane, braiding it.

"Hell yeah we do!" shouted a familiar voice. Both girls yelped in surprise. The new addition to their little tea-party could be awfully loud sometimes. Neji smirked. "That dog'll never learn", thought the Hyuuga genius."And one day it might get him killed".

All of a sudden, a chunky black object fell from the tree the Inuzuka boy was currently upside down in.

"Kiba! How many times have I told you not to hold that damnable thing from the cord?!" shouted Tenten. "One day the damn thing will fall right off!" Currently, the heir to the Inuzuka clan was dangling a black CD player from the cord. Kiba cut off the chakra to his feet and started plummeting to the hard earth. While in mid-air, he did a back-flip and landed gracefully on his feet.

"Oh, come off it Ten-Chan!" Kiba started. "It was only a little fun!"

"Cool it guys. We've got company." Sakura whispered hastily.

* * *

Sasuke was puzzled. "What the hell are they doing?" the raven-haired youth thought.

"Since when was Sakura so 'buddy-buddy' with that mangy mutt and the Hyuuga prick?"

Sasuke made his way over to the small group of four, his pale features set in an annoyed scowl. "Hey Sakura!"a familiar voice yelled. "Kami," Sasuke thought, "That was right in my ear!" the Uchiha heir's scowl deepened as he turned around to face the perpetrator. But the look of annoyance drastically slid from his face after he saw who yelled.

There, running ahead of him, was a _very_ enthusiastic and grinning Nara Shikamaru. The brunette boy was waving one arm in the air while running toward the bunch Sasuke was about to interrogate.

"Wait, what the crap?!"Sasuke thought bewildered, "SINCE WHEN THE HELL DID SAKURA HIT IT OFF WITH THE NARA?!?!" **(A/N: Sakura and Shika are not going out, mind you!!)** Shikamaru bumped into Sasuke in his earnest sprint to his friends. "Oh, sorry dude!" the Nara boy called over his shoulder. "My bad!"

* * *

"OH.MY.GOD." a certain blonde thought. "Why the hell is MY boyfriend so happy to see that freak?!" Yamanaka Ino thought.

At the moment, her jaw was hitting the ground, anime-style. "Where is he running to?" the blue-eyed girl asked herself. She then got a glimpse of a certain 'Haruno' sitting on the ground, who was currently bumping fists with her self-proclaimed boyfriend.

And judging by his wide, fox-like grin, he didn't seem to mind who was watching. "And what the hell did Billboard-Brow do to her hair?" Ino asked herself, inwardly snickering. The Yamanaka girl stomped over to her sensei, an annoyed pout adorning her features.

"Asuma-Sensei!" She started, "Shikamaru isn't paying attention! Shouldn't all of them be over here, so we can get the meeting started?" Asuma inwardly sighed, shooting Kakashi a pleading look.

Kakashi gave him an glance that seemed to say "Hey, she's your student, don't look at me!" Yamanaka Ino was now standing directly in front of her teacher, her arms folded across her chest. "Okay Ino, I'll call them over." the Sarutobi said tiredly.

* * *

"Dude! Did you hear?! Temari's coming!" Shikamaru was positioned in a low crouch, a huge grin appearing on his face.

"I know! I can't wait to see Mari-Chan!" Tenten responded excitedly.

Unbeknownst to all but five of the Rookie Nine, Shikamaru had been going out with the third female member of their tight-knit group. Their relationship was long-distance, mind you, but anytime a mission to Suna turned up, the 15-year-old Nara was always the first to jump at it**.(A/N: In my story, Temari is the same age as everyone in the Rookie 9)** "Hey Kura-Chan!" Sakura stood up as Shikamaru scooped her up in a tight bear-hug. She smiled warmly at the nickname.

* * *

After her mother's murder, the young Taisho girl had been taken in by one of her family's close friends. The Taisho and Nara Clan had been fast friends and allies for five generations. So when Sakura's family had an emergency, Shikako and his wife were always more than willing to watch their pseudo-niece. Because of this, the Nara's youngest son became Sakura's closest friend.

Up until the time they were two, the pair were inseparable. Then, a new family moved in two houses down from Shikamaru, and the pair came across Tenten. **(A/N: Just imagine** **Edward and Alphonse' house from FMA. All the houses look like that!)**

After that, a woman and her five-year-old daughter and three-year-old son moved in next door to Sakura. With the new addition to their pair, the trio of three-year-olds discovered Inuzuka Kiba and his big sister Hana.

Being five, going on six, Hana wasn't too keen on having toddlers for playmates. But when anyone tried to lay a finger on her little bunch of rag-a-muffins, Hana knew how to bring on the hurt. Her famous tagline was: "Nobody gets to call my brother or his friends' brats but me punk!" After that, the perpetrator usually got his ass handed to him by a five-year-old girl.

(But, back to the story!)

It was only after until the groups of friends were four that they met the fifth and sixth addition to their bunch. It was August, the summer of Taisho Sakura's fourth year. She was walking down the dirt road toward Tenten's house, a drippy vanilla ice-cream cone was in her grip.

She stopped suddenly, peering down the road with her hand acting as a visor to keep the sun out of her eyes. Sakura gasped excitedly. "New movers!" she thought happily, "Maybe they need help!" The four-year-old gulped down the rest of her cone and jogged cheerily down the road.

Her new Jellies© slapped the hard-packed earth. She smiled down at her sandals. Her mommy had just gotten them yesterday, and they had sparkles in them and matched her eyes (or so her mother said.) Nothing could have gone wrong that hot August day. And to  
add to the excitement, she was about to make a new friend.

* * *

"Wow." the young Taisho squeaked out. "It's big." Currently, the four-year-old was gawking at the size of the house that was being moved into.

A man of 23 years wiped sweat off his brow. When he opened his eyes, pure ivory could be seen.

Hyuuga Hizashi had just set down the last cardboard box of silverware. "Whoa! Neji be Careful!" the man called out. He seemed to be shouting at a cardboard box with legs. "I grunt can handle grunt it!" called the boy. Neji was about to drop the load when a pair of small hands grabbed the tilting side.

"Watch out!" cried a female's voice. "You could hurt yourself!"

The young Hyuuga peered around the side of the box and blushed. "Uh, t-thanks…" Neji stuttered, his cheeks stained a light pink.

Who was this girl? He thought. And boy, was she pretty!

* * *

"Umm, what are you looking at? Is there something on my face?" Sakura asked innocently.

"M-my name's Neji," the boy started, regaining his composure. "What's yours?" The white-eyed boy smiled brightly at her.

"Me?" she asked. "Yes you, dummy! What's your name?" Sakura growled deep in her throat. "Hey white-eyes, if you're gonna call me names, then I'll drop this box!"

"I-I didn't mean it like that!" the branch-member sputtered out. "I wanna know your name so I can thank you!"

Sakura was taken aback a bit. That was all? He just wanted to thank her? "O-oh…" it was her turn to stutter. "It's Taisho."

"Taisho what?" Neji was getting annoyed. "Sakura. Taisho Sakura."

"Well, it's a very pretty name, Sakura," a baritone voice rang out. "Nice to meet you! My name's Hyuuga Hizashi. But you can call me Hizashi." He smiled the same way Sakura's daddy smiled at her.

"As you may already know, this is Neji." He got down to her eye level and gingerly took the box out of the child's hands.

"Thank you very much, Miss Taisho! If you hadn't come along, we would have had a big mess on our hands. Neji," The Hyuuga man  
started, "Didn't you say something about thanking Miss Taisho?"

"Oh!" Sakura interjected. "You don't have to call me that! Sakura is fine!" Neji's cheeks colored faintly again.

"Thank you Miss Taisho." Neji said, emphasizing every word. He rolled his pearlescent eyes. Geez Louise, dads could be so embarassing sometimes!

And that was the start of a beautiful friendship.

* * *

**PRESENT TIME**

"Hey Sakura!" Said girl turned her head in the direction of the shout. "What the hell does he want?" Shikamaru sneered, a scowling Sakura still in his arms.

Tenten shot up and walked to meet him halfway, cleverly obscurring his veiw of their little powwow.

"Hey, why don't you just run it by me first, Uchiha, and I'll tell you if it's worth our time." The brunette curtly began, cutting off Sasuke completely.

Sasuke growled. "I just wanted to tell her that the meeting is started, so she might wanna quit canoodling with the Nara."

"Will do, Sasuke. Will do." She mumbled as she stalked back.

* * *

"NARA SHIKAMARU! ANSWER WHEN YOUR GIRLFRIEND TALKS TO YOU!" The angry Yamanaka screeched. She was pissed.  
"I'm coming, miserable bitch..." Shikamaru mumbled. "Since when the hell were you and Ino a couple?!" Kiba barked. "I thought you would stay true to Temari-chan!" The fifteen-year-old Nara just chuckled. "Dude! This isn't a game! How could you do that?!"

Kiba was angry. "Here's gasp the thing gasp guys," Shikamaru was panting from laughing so hard. "We're not!"

"Huh?!" Neji was baffled. "You mean, you're...not...dating Ino?" "Duh, you jackass!!" Shikamaru was sweatdropping as a vein popped out of his forehead, anime style.  
"Why the HELL would I want to date INO?!?!"

* * *

_Back with the other ninja:_

"Oh!" Thought a certain blonde kunoichi. "Shika must be defending my honor!" She had anime hearts in her eyes.

Boy...was she dense.

* * *

THANX 4 READING MINNA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'll try 2 update again today!!!! pleez reveiw, and tell me what you think!! 


	6. Chapter 6

**Ohayo** **minna!!** **Okay, here's the next installment of L.M.S.Y.J.W.I.M.O.!!! YAY! All this and more, in  
the** **latest chapter of: ****Let Me Show You Just What I'm Made Of**

* * *

"Yo! Shikamaru! Get over here!"

Ash fell from the end of a smoldering cigarette. Damn, it's hot, thought the smoker. The man looked up at  
the sun and squinted, an annoyed frown plastered on his handsome features.

He looked to his fiancé for a little backup. Kurenai smiled calmly at him. The frown slid from his face, and was replaced by a warm smile. The Genjutsu Mistress always knew how to settle him down. He called to his  
student again.

"NARA! FINISH YOUR LITTLE TEA-PARTY AND GET A MOVE ON!" He yelled.

Asuma wasn't mad, mind you. In fact, if one could have heard his voice, the only sound they could've made out was playfulness.

**

* * *

Back with a certain group of teenagers **

"SHIT! C'mon guys, let's go!" A certain brunette boy exclaimed.

* * *

If you asked any woman on the street if she learned something from her mother, the answer will ninety-nine percent of the time be 'yes'. And if Sakura knew anything, she knew this fact to be true.

Sakura learned many things from her mother. How to fix a run in a pair of nylons, to fold a pair of jeans the right way, and how to melt the rice the right way to make dango, just the way Daddy likes.

But there were two things Sakura learned from her mother that were a little unconventional. What made them different was the fact that, if she didn't follow these lessons, she might not make it to her next birthday.

You see, most mommies and daddies tell their little angel to be different and be their own person.

Kagome did just the opposite for her daughter.

If Sakura was to learn to control the demon blood of her father, plus the power of the Shikon-no-Tama, from Kagome's family of Shinigami, she would need to know that she was not the same as the other kids.

Taisho Sakura learned at age 3, that when you are able to snap a full grown cherry-blossom tree in half with one hand, people tend to run away from you.

She also learned, when mommy tells you not to chew, you never, ever chew...

The reason behind the second lesson was not realized until Sakura turned 14. But back to the now...

* * *

" 'Sup..." Heads turned.

Towering above the sitting group, (consisting of Ino, Chouji, Asuma, Kurenai, Gai, Shino, Hinata, and Lee) stood a lean, mean,(slightly  
Tsunade-like**)(A/N: In the chest region)** girl.

She also happened to be decked out in jet-black leather.

"And," Ino noticed,

"She's RIDING. ON. SHIKAMARU'S. BACK..."

* * *

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!"

A shrill scream echoed through the surrounding forest. In the village, mothers went to calm their napping babies, after they had been shaken  
from their simple dreams by a horrible, peircing screech.

**(A/N:**** Sorry**** Ino-lovers,**** she's**** just**** a**** real**** BITCH)  
****

* * *

**

"Umm, why do you care?" asked an extremely bored-looking Sakura. The girl slid demurely off Shika's back.

"Because he's MY boyfriend! And because YOU obviously don't know how to keep your legs shut!" Ino was now standing directly infront of the Taisho  
heir and pointing at her. Her index finger was two centimeters from Sakura's nose.

"You know," Sakura started. Neji made a move to confront Ino, but stopped when Sakura's arm pressed gently into his rib cage, as if to stop him.  
He nodded at Sakura.

"I could send you through that tree over there," She pointed behind Ino to a giant oak, at least 50 ft. in diameter, "with just a flick of my finger." She replied cheerfully.

"Oh yeah? How could YOU pull that off?!" The blonde teen retorted.

"Like this, you fucker."

_THWOCK..._

* * *

THANX FOR READING!!! THE NEXT CHAPTER IS BEING TYPED AS WE SPEAK!!


	7. Chapter 7

_Jesus…_

Kurenai blanched.

_What the hell just happened?_

A smoldering cigarette fell to the ground. The Sarutobi's eyes widened considerably.

_…  
_

(That was all Gai could manage.)

An uncomfortable silence fell over the group.

* * *

It stung. Her cheek stung horribly.

Blue eyes darted around their owner's surroundings. How did she get over here, she asked herself. The Yamanaka's eyes darted in front of her, where they focused on a splintered hole in the center of an oak tree.

And then, everything around her went black.

* * *

Tenten's eyes blazed with hatred. Her fists shook. 

"How dare she!" The Weapons' Mistress thought angrily. "How dare she talk to Sakura-Chan like that!"

Kakashi, Asuma, Kurenai, Gai, Lee, Hinata, etc; stood in utter shock.

Sakura's eyes were wide, her mouth forming a tiny 'O'. Tenten was standing in front of her, her fist extended, and her teeth clenched.

Tenten had just finished what Sakura started. And she did a damn good job.

(Well, by Sakura's standards, anyway.)

* * *

"Jesus Christ..." Kiba started. 

"Dude..." Neji gaped.

"That was FREAKIN' AWESOME!!!!!!!!" Shikamaru roared. He was grinning like a madman.

"Awesome?! You think this is AWESOME?!?!" Asuma asked bewildered. "Tenten juat threw your TEAMMATE into a fucking tree! And you think that it's AWESOME?!" Asuma's eyes were white and big, anime-style.

"Well, yeah dude." Kiba cut in, "It WAS pretty cool, I mean, Tenten DID send her through a fuckin' tree." The Inuzuka boy said casually.

**

* * *

**

"Oh Tenten! How could you do such a horrible thing?! The Fire of Youth must have been extinguished inside you!" Gai screamed dramatically.

It was the brunette's turn to snap. "What the hell would you have done if someone yelled that smut at Kurenai?!" She glowered at he sensei.

"Guys, guys, guys!" Kurenai butted in. "Forget it! Ino did say some awful things. But Tenten," The Genjutsu Mistress looked at the girl. "you had no right to hit her like that, as good as your intentions were."

"Now," She began again. "Let's get that sparring started."

There was a mischevious glint in her crimson eyes.


	8. Chapter 8

"Okay Tenten!" Called Asuma. "You're up!"

* * *

The weapon-clad teen got up from the group of sitting Chuunins. At the moment, the Rookie 9 and Team Gai were sitting in a cluster on the ground, having just heard their senseis explain why they were all there. They were going to engage in a group-training spar.

But this wasn't to test their combat skills.

This was a specific activity that would test one of the most important qualities a ninja was required to posess.

The Rookie 9 and Team Gai were gathered there that day, to test one ability:

The ability to kill.

* * *

"Umm, Asuma-sensei?" The brunette asked apprehensively.

"What Tenten?" The Sarutobi responded tiredly. He was really picking up the mannerisms of a certain "less than motivated" pupil of his.

"Uhh, I brought a CD player and some music," She started. "You know, to help us focus?" Tenten added quickly.

"Uhh, s-sure. Why not?" Asuma replied tentatively.

* * *

Sakura watched as Tenten opened the top of the small, battery-powered CD player, and popped a disk in.

"Hey, I bet she put all our theme songs on it." Sakura smiled playfully at the Inuzuka next to her. "Yeah," Started Kiba. "You think she would forget something like that."

* * *

Like a lot of people, Sakura and her friends enjoyed doing daily activities to music. So, their friend Tenten had burned a disk of the group's favorite songs. 

They were planning to fight the same way they did their laundry, housework, and training: to music.

* * *

You may be asking yourself, how are they going to test their kill-ability? Are they going to kill one another? Well, the answer is no. 

The Jounin were going to test their students by placing them in a Genjutsu where they were going to battle imaginary ninja.

And the battles were about to start.

* * *

"Okay Tenten! You're up!" Called Asuma. He glanced at his fiance, noting her features set in a mask of deep concentration. 

Asuma then stole a look at they Weapons-Mistress.

A huge, sadistic grin was spreading across her face.

* * *

"Go Tenten! Yeah! WOOOO!" cheered a grinning Kiba. Sakura and Shikamaru followed suit. "Here goes nothin' " Tenten thought. 

Sakura reached over to the CD player and hit play. **(A/N: Okay, in my story, whenever there is a song, instead of saying the real band name, i'm making it so that it was Sakura's band, or her father's singing**.)

**(Easy Target by Blink-182 starts)

* * *

**

Tenten ran through the barrier and into the genjutsu. Her feet stomped the earth to the beat of the song. 

Kiba's recorded voice was blasting out of the speakers. It was one of their band's first songs, off their first album. Memories came rushing at her as she fought in the melee of the jutsu.

After she had just launched a barrage of projectiles at the incoming wave of nin, a feral grin spread across her face.

She turned to face the incoming army of jutsuborn ninja. Her chocolate orbs screamed determination. She looked at the approaching nin, and rushed to greet them with her chain-sickle.

As she was about to throw herself into the throng of shinobi, the girl cried a strange proclomation, her voice filled with determination and fighting spirit.

Tenten yelled at the top of her lungs :

"I AM THE FLOWER THAT THEY'LL PLACE AT YOUR CASKET!"


	9. Chapter 9

"_Whoa…"_ That was the general consensus of the Rookie 9 and Team Gai after watching their own little Tenten-chan, for lack of better words, basically slaughter a whole mini-army of faceless nin (created by genjutsu, mind you,) Needless to say, it _did_ feel pretty good to watch your Sensei's jaw drop with realization that, in the grand scheme of things, you could have _murdered_ them any time you wanted to.

_ "Gai-sensei will probably start rethinking that freakisly intense training regimen he puts us through…"_ The Weapons-Mistress thought with an internal grin. Tenten crossed her arms over her chest and closed her eyes, a triumphant grin set upon her features. She began to walk toward the CD player and sat down next to it. Kiba raised a fist at the brunette without looking and mumbled "Give me some skin."

The two bumped fists and then turned their gaze to the lazing Nara in unison.

* * *

"Shikamaruuu!" Kiba's singsong voice could be heard distinctly.

The boy in question opened his annoyed chocolate-orbs and frowned up at the clouds. _"Ugh, might as well get it over with."_ He thought tiredly as he got up from his comfortable position. "Well guys, wish me luck." Shikamaru said.

"Sakura," The snow-haired girl turned to face his back. Shikamaru turned around, and the sitting party was met with a mischievous smirk and eyes flashing with energy. "You know my song." Hands in pockets, he turned on his heel and walked into the barrier, his senses engulfed by the jutsu.

* * *

Once trapped in the genjutsu, the laid-back boy turned to face a horde of ninja beginning to surround him. The shadow-manipulator closed his eyes and chuckled. _"Bring it on."_ When he opened his eyes back up, they were filled with an emotion most of his comrades never thought possible for him. 

There was fire in his eyes, and nothing could stop the raw confidence that seemed to be leaking from his tenketsu.

**("You've Made Us Concious" by theAUDITION begins from the CD player)   
**  
_

* * *

Dodge, kick, punch, grab, slice, dice, cut, rip, dodge, kick, punch, grab…_The pattern seemed unending.

"Good Lord! Is my head spinning!" Naruto cried. "Look at him go!" The rest of the spectators nodded in agreement. They all knew one thing about Nara Shikamaru: he never ceases to amaze. From outside the barrier, they all watched as the pineapple-headed boy threw all his weight to waylay a nin's stomach. 

"He's not even using the **Kagemane**! Pure Taijutsu!" Asuma marveled. "His speed is amazing!" Kurenai agreed, her hands frozen in the seal of the Tiger In. It was getting hard to concentrate with all that energy bubbling up inside the barrier. Soon, it might just break! 

All of a sudden, a loud rip was heard. All heads snapped to the left side of the forcefeild. Shikamaru was sitting on his butt, shaking his head as if to clear it. Once he had his bearings, he grinned back at the barrier and ran back into it, yelling "Oh no you don't! You quick bastard!" He was shouting at a shadow-clone. The Rookie 9 and Team Gai all sweatdropped like crazy.

* * *

Then, the sky began to darken, and the wind howled.

"There she is! Miss Konoha!" Neji called out to the tune of "Miss America". "What?! Huh?! She's here?!" Shikamaru whirled around inside the genjutsu. "Screw this! Kai!" He called out. The barrier 'poofed' away in a cloud of smoke.

Sure enough, standing on a hovering fan 10 feet above where the barrier once stood , decked out in a purple fighting kimono and ivory armour, was Subaku no Temari, and plastered to her face was a bright, fox-like grin. Shikamaru was running to her, laughing the whole way.

Sakura, Tenten, Kiba, and Neji all followed suit, identical grins on their faces. When they got over there, the Nara boy scooped up the fan-weilding kunoichi bridal-style and kissed her cheek. She giggled and pecked him back. When he set her down, she called out to Neji in a playful voice, "That's Suna, you big lummox!" 

Her teal eyes laughed as she was glommped by Tenten and Sakura, who were squealing with delight. They started to walk back to the rest of their party, who in the meantime had gotten into defensive positions, thinking it was an attack. It's not ev eryday a ninja from a neighboring v illage just _drops_ in.

"Wait a second," Sasuke started, his eyes scanning the surrounding area. "If you're here,the-" He never finished. Standing behind him was the Kazekage himself, and he was suspending the Uchiha in midair with sand.

"Boo." 


	10. revised chapter ten!

here it is! the revised edition of Let Me Show You Just What I'm Made Of! this is the rewritten chapter ten btw.

* * *

A loud "woo-hoo" resounded throughout the surrounding forest. 

There, standing right in front of Uchiha Sasuke…well, more like jumping around in front of him, was Nara Shikamaru, the laziest, smart-assed, I-wish-that-I-cared ninja in the whole Rookie 9. The least motivated shinobi, albeit _person_ in Konohagakure, the least expected to spontaneously break into a victory dance, what doing just that before Sasuke's obsidian eyes. What was that crackling sound he heard? Oh, that must be Hell freezing over.

* * *

"Well, looks like it's my turn." Sakura dulley stated, cracking her knuckles with deafening pops and snaps. The bun-clad kunoichi sitting next to her winced as Sakura started the same process, but with her toes. 

"Jeez Kura-chan, you know how I hate it when you do that." She playfully complained, mock squeamishness in her voice. "Aww, Ten-chan!" The playful Taisho started, "I know you love it when I-". She paused to close her eyes and let out a grunt as she dislocated both of her shoulders, crouching next to the brunette with her lame arms, swaying them playfully. "-do that!"

"Christ Sakura!" Tenten fell out of her crouch and scurried over to hide behind Kiba as she shuddered audibly. "Dog-boy! Make her stop!" She cried, extremely skeeved out. "Better watch who you call 'Dog-boy'...Bun-girl!"

Tenten looked quizzacally at Kiba. God he was so dense..."You idiot! That's not even insulting!" She cried. Kiba looked down from Tenten's chocolate gaze. "It wasn't supposed to be..." The Inuzuka muttered. **(A/N: Aww! A lil' kibaXten moment+ducks away from ppl throwing popcorn+ sorry!) **

Again Tenten gave Kiba a confused look. _"What did he say?"_

* * *

Loud cheers erupted throughout the surrounding woods, all of them for one snow-haired girl. After Sakura relocated her shoulders, she got up and walked toward the barrier, she turned back around. "Ooh, almost forgot my tunes!" she got down on her knees and clicked the 'next' button on the CD player until it got to her favorite song. 

A strong, barritone voice rang out from the small speakers. Sakura smiled in a bittersweet fashion. It was her father's voice.

She continued to walk toward the barrier. **(Wait and Bleed by Slipknot starts playing.)**

* * *

She was like an angel. An angel of death, as she floated effortlessly through the battlefeild, bodies of nin falling to the ground. Her eyes aglow** (A/N: Like Aang's from avatar...you know, when he goes crazy...)** she cut down anyone in her path. Her hands were moving so fast they were a blur. Blades were her forte, but Kakashi knew she was more adapt at killng with her hands. For the Taisho before him, blades were her birthright, but instinct always won with this fickle family. 

With just one touch, she could sever a spinal cord, activate every pain receptor in a forsaken body. She could trap you in your own personal hell, no hand-seals necessary. With just one touch, she could cauterize every tenketsu in the human body with her pinky-finger. With just a sweep of her index finger against your skin, she could make your blood run backwards and curdle.

And she had been doing this type of thing since she was born, before her medic training with the Godaime. No offense Tsunade, but you ain't got _nothing_ on Taisho Sakura.

And Sakura knew it.

* * *

By the time she was done in the barrier, Kurenai was astounded. That genjutsu had been created in her mind, so anything that happened inside that forcefeild, was ultimitely Kurenai's doing. If She wanted pink elephants to start doing the Macarena while eating snowcones, she could make it happen. 

So, when she had each of the rookie nine go in to the jutsu, she set up each wave of nin to their specific skill level. But when Sakura went in, well, Kurenai was more exauhsted than she was!

Kuernai estimated, at this level-Fuck! The girl hadn't even used chakra!-at this level, she could kick Gai's, Kakashi's, Asuma's, Her own, hell, she was willing to bet she could pound Orocimaru's ass!

Boy, she didn't know how right she was...


	11. Chapter 11

I AM REALLY SORRY FOR THE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES IN CHAPTER 10! IT MUSTv'E REALLY SCREWED YOU UP! SO, IM REWRITING THE LAST CHAPTER AND REPLACING IN RITE NOW! JUST FORGET ALL THE STUFF YOU READ IN THE LAST CHAPTER!


	12. Chapter 12

GOMEN-NASAI!!!!!!!!!!!!! SORRY MINNA! I WAS AT CAMP FOR TWO WEEKS AND (well, duh) THEY WOULDN'T LET ME ON THE COMPUTER!! I'M SO SORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!

HERE IT IS! THE LATEST CHAPTER OF LMSYJWIMO!!!!

if it's in italics, it's song lyrics. if it looks _"like this"_, it's part of a flashback or someone's thoughts. it all applies to the context it's used in...on with the story now)

i don't own naruto or any of the songs used in this story. disclaimers are a real pain in the ass(

* * *

_I've got another confession to make..._

Bright lights burned her eyes.

_I'm your fool..._

Safe and gentle arms lifted her above the crowd. Sakura heard screams and excited cheers.

_Everyone's got their chains to break..._

They were coming from her. She looked down from her perch into gentle brown eyes.

_Holdin' you..._

"Otooji-Miroku..."

Her uncle's eyes shifted from hers to the man on stage. Sakura followed suit, gripping his hand that was supporting her. She was on his shoulders...

_Were you born resist?_

Sakura looked at the dark sillouette picking away on the strings of his red Telecaster. His white hair was long and wild, just like hers. She noticed the man looking at her, as if the lyrics of the song he was singing were meant just for her.

_Or be abused?_

Everything blurred around her in a second. Sakura clenched her eyes closed. When she opened them, she found herself in the front row of the concert, being bumped and jostled around in the mosh-pit. The singer stared directly at her with mysterious and knowing eyes as he belted out the lyrics to his song. Sakura stared at him with empty and puzzled eyes.

_Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?

* * *

_  
Kakashi didn't want it to come to this. He tried to convince her not to part of the training today. Anytime the fiery Taisho was caught in this specific type of Genjutsu, she always went over the top.

* * *

**FLASHBACK:**

For Sakura, killing someone was like a game to her. And whereas others might be repulsed by the sight of death, Taisho Sakura relished it. He'd known this his whole life.

_"No wonder Anko wanted to adopt her when she was_ _recovered at the gate. If there's anything I know about Mitarashi Anko, it's that she can smell bloodlust from miles away." _Kakashi thought. He remembered the times when he would drop the ten-year-old off at the sadist's house for training in torture tactics. He was a little hesitant, but one day he decided to voice his concerns about the mental state of his niece after Anko's rigorous training. But the Mitarashi woman replied to his musings with a suprising answer, her face set in an hardened stare:

_"Only a decade has she spent in this world, and already she can match Morino Ibiki in intelligence about torture. But the difference between your niece and Morino Ibiki, is that she didn't need someone else to teach her about suffering."_

"What do you mean Anko?" The Copy-Nin would retort back, everytime annoyed with Anko's crypitc answers.

_"What I mean is, she didn't need anyone else to explain the art of human suffering and heartache to her because..."_

"Because why Anko? Get to the point!"

"Because she's always been subjected to it."

"What? How would you know?" At this point in the conversation, Anko looked at Kakashi with a bittersweet smile on her face, then turned away from him as she continued.

_"Don't be a fool Hatake! You know as well as I do what condition they found your brother's daughter in at the front gates of the city! Covered in blood not her own, fatal injuries that would kill a normal human, and her eyes! My God! Did you see the child's eyes_?" Anko paused here for breath as a shaking Hatake Kakashi stood in front of her. Had it not been for her Ninja training, she might have not noticed him quake like he was.

In a calmer tone, she looked at her silver-haired comrade and asked _"Every child comes to a point in their life when the light_ _leaves their eyes. It breaks my heart when I look at that golden-eyed girl. Her light wasn't supposed to_ _leave yet! Kakashi! Can't you see?"_

"See what Anko?" The Torturess of Konoha could hear the defeat in her old friend's voice.

_"Can't you see what has hapened to that life? If you can't, my advice to you is this._ _Never forget it either."_

"What shouldn't I forget?"

At this, Mitarashi Anko turned to look at her friend and said, in a voice that knew from years of expireince and first-hand accounts. Anko looked Kakashi square in the eye and said:

_The innocent can never last..._

**END FLASHBACK**

_

* * *

_  
"Sakura!!!!" Naruto yelled in concern. He started to race toward the barrier after what he had just seen.

**FLASHBACK**

_Sakura kicked and punched, bit and tore, ripped and shredded everything and anything in her path. The blonde Kyuubi-Vessle was amazed at his best friend's skill and ability. Since when had she gotten this good?_

As he and the other Chuunin watched her battle, Naruto noticed a clone come up behinde her. "Sakura-Chan! Behind you!" But it was too late. Naruto watched in horror as a REAL katana was stabbed right through her. He, along with Kiba, Temari, and Neji, followed by a few of the sensei's and Hinata, ran toward the Chakra-protected dome that housed the jutsu.

The clone disappeared after stabbing her. Sakura fell to her knees, her elbows sinking to the ground and her fists hitting the earth. There was a fierce snarl on her lips and her eyes filled with rage. **( A/N: Think of the way Sasuke looked when his curse seal activated during his fight with Gaara in the woods. Remember how he was all doubled over and stuff? That's how Sakura looks.)**

END FLASHBACK

* * *

"Dammit..." Sakura mumbled. She could hear the pounding of footfalls as people ran toward her.__

"Don't touch me!" She screamed at them. The Chuunin halted in their path toward her. "WHY THE HELL NOT?!" Naruto screamed back. "YOU'RE GOING TO DIE!"

"Heh,heh,heh..." She started to chuckle to herself. "What's so funny?! Sakura, Let us help!" Kiba yelled. "Help? I'll show you help." Sakura said quietly, half to herself and half to the group.

With that said, Sakura did something not even a kage could do. She stood up on trembling legs, albeit loosing her balance once or twice. Blood streamed out of her stomach. Then, something unexpected happened.

"K-Kiba-kun! Please, h-help Sakura-ch-chan!" Hinata pleaded quietly, just loud enough for the Dog-Nin to hear. "She'll k-kill hers-self!"

"Okay. Sakura! Stop! Please! Even you weren't made for this!" Kiba shouted at her.

"Not made for this? NOT MADE FOR THIS?!" When her trembling eyes met the Inuzuka's, he was amazed. She was sporting a determined grin and there was fire in her eyes.

"Not made for this?" She repeated. "Well, Inuzuka Kiba-" Blood dribbled out the corner of her mouth, and she coughed up a handful of blood as she supported herself on her knees.

Sakura gripped the handle of the katana that was sticking out her stomach. As her knuckles whitened from the force of her vice-like grip, Sakura wrenched the blade out of her body and yelled:

**_LET ME SHOW YOU JUST WHAT I'M MADE OF!

* * *

_**  
Finished! Ahhhh, that felt good! if you're confused about the conversation between anko and kakashi, it was a flashback kakashi had as he was running toward sakura with the rest of the group, from when sakura was younger. Also, the flashback from the beginning is just a little foreshadowing on Sakura's life. Future chapters will have little memories and flashbacks like this one, but from different people, and how they came to know sakura, or how she affected their lives.

What will happen in the next chapter?

Will Sakura go to the hospital for her wounds?  
Will Neji come to her rescue? Or will Sasuke?  
Will TenTen, Neji, Temari, Shikamaru, Kiba, and Kakashi shed some light on Sakura's past?  
Do the Hyuuga and Nara families know more about Sakura's past than they're letting on?

all this and more in the next and coming chapters of : **Let Me Show You Just What I'm Made Of**

see y'all next time!!!!!  



	13. Chapter 13

GOMENNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! okay everyone! i have been grounded from the computer (obviously) and i just got it back today! i'm gonna try to get two decent-length chapters in, or one really LLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNGGGG chapter in. so here it is!!! the latest chapter of LMSYJWIMO!! this one will throw you for a loop!!!

* * *

**NEAR BY:**

_"Goddamit Miroku! Bakayaro! He knows I'm the one with expirience in jutsu! But no! He has to do it! And now look where the fuck it's gotten us! Chikushou!!_

* * *

**THE TRAINING GROUNDS:**"You sense that?" Kurenai asked Kakashi. Immediantly after Sakura's stabbing, The Genjutsu Mistress felt the air around her become permeated with a powerful aura. She didn't need her ninja-training to tell that it was foul play. 

"And so it's begun..." Kakashi said quietly to himself. "Huh? Kakashi, did you hear me? Something's up." Kurenai asked worriedly. She glanced behind her from her position next to the Hatake man to her troubled fiance. Kurenai walked over to Asuma and touched him on the arm to get his attention. She knew he would listen to her. "Hey, Asuma. Come here a sec."

* * *

"Huh? Well, I'll go scout out the area after we take Haruno-san to the hospital." Asuma answered his girlfriend. 

"That won't be necessary. Sakura will be fine." Neji said. "What the hell?!" Asuma jumped. That Hyuuga boy showed up outta nowhere!

"What do mean, Neji?! She was stabbed in the stomach! How is she going to be fine?!" Kurenai demanded in a venemous tone. She was never really keen on the Hyuuga prodidgy, but after seeing what he did to Hinata in the Prelims of the Chuunin Exam, Kurenai lost all respect for him.

"Neji's right. Sakura will be fine." Said a mysterious female voice.

"Who's there! Show yourself!" Kurenai shouted. The Chuunins huddled around a still-bleeding Sakura looked up and got into battle stances. With the exception of Kiba, Shikamaru, Tenten, and Temari. They just stod there with wide eyes. A recurring thought simultaneously ran through the minds of the said Nin.

_"Sango? Is that you?"_

* * *

_"Neji's right. Sakura will be fine." _

A beautiful woman in her late twenties emerged from the foliage. She had long, chocolate-colored hair, down to the small of her back. Her eyes were a cool shade of brown, and her eyelids were painted with a dramatic hue of plum. This was all they could see of her face though, for the rest was hidden by some sort of a steel mask with little holes in it. The strange newcomer was wearing a black spandex jumpsuit (Lee liked her instantly because of this.) with a chinese-style collar. On the woman's shoulders, abdomen, and elbows was armor the color of a crimson sunset. Her shins and kneecaps were also protected by armor the same color. A small katana was on her waist, secured with a sash that was unnervingly similar to the color of blood.

Her whole outfit seemed a little strange to the Chuunins. Kunoichi didn't usually wear this type of clothing. The mysterious woman's outfit made her look more like a warrior instead of a ninja. But what really threw the Konoha-Nins for a loop (sensei included) was the fact that she was carrying a giant boomerang on her back.

The woman took off her mask and on her lips was one of the most fearsome grimaces any of them had ever seen. She started to rub the bridge of her nose in an exasperated manner. And then she spoke.

Well, more like, yelled (so loud the animals fled from their homes for a half mile radius).

"Do you have any idea of how fucking stupid you look! Kami, Miroku! Look at your poor niece! Inuyasha would go on a killing spree if he saw this! Starting with you!". She seemed to be talking to thin air, but then, out of the same bushes that she had come from, emerged a man. He was scratching the back of his head and sweatdropping, a nervous smile on his face.

"It was an accident Tenshi-Chan! I swear! You know I would never intentionally harm Sakura! The Jutsu just went A-wall Sango, that's all!"

The man named Miroku continued to plead with the woman now known as Sango, but she just seemed to get madder and madder. Miroku was wearing simple monk's robes, black in color, with a purple sash running from his left shoulder to wrap around his waist. His short black hair was tied into a small ponytail. In his right hand, he was holding a gold ceremonial staff. But what suprised the Chuunin the most about this man's simple garb, was that ON his right hand, he was wearing a turqouise rosary. The string of holy beads was wrapped and twisted around his hand and wrist, through his fingers and across his palm. This puzzled a few, but the one individual who's interest was piqued was none other than, you guessed it: Uzumaki Naruto.

And the Kyuubi-vessle decided to inquire, not only as to why the man called Miroku was wearing a rosary, but as to what the Hell was going on here.

And so he did just that...in an extremely blunt and tactless fashion.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!"

* * *

He was astounded. Bewildered. Astonished. Incredulouse. Describe it however you may want, but frankly, Uzumaki Naruto was freaked out. And I mean_ freaked out_. 

_"Just what in Kami's name is going on?! Who the fuck ARE these people?! And why are they dressed so funny?"_ This was the equivalent of what was running through Naruto's head at the moment. Well, actually, this is _exactly_ what was running through Naruto's head. When the Demon-vessle was about to cry out again, he, along with everyone else, heard the strange woman speak again.

"Sakura will be fine. Won't you, Sakura." It sounded more like a statement than a question of the girl's well-_being_. Like Sakura had to be alright, not if she was _going_ to be. At this Naruto turned and looked at his childhood crush, who was now on her knees, instead of swimming in her own blood. Sakura was wheezing and huffing. The perspiration was visible on her brow.

Sakura looked up at Sango, making eye contact. An unspoken message was passed during the exchange of attentions. Sakura then stood up, albeit shakily. Neji started toward her, but a large hand on his shoulder stopped him. He turned.

It was Kakashi. "Wait and see Neji-san. Sakura is stronger than she looks. This shouldn't even phase you anymore."

"I know that." The Hyuuga boy spat. "That doesn't mean it won't hurt to watch."

* * *

_  
"Breath in. Breath out. In. Out. In. Out...I can do this."_ Sakura thought. As the wounded girl stood on shakey legs, she never broke eye contact with Sango. Not once. And she was proud of it.

* * *

At this blatant diplay of Sakura's power, Sango smiled at the girl, who was standing tall and unflinching. And for a fourth time, she spoke. 

"This is my husband Higurashi Miroku. He is a traveling monk. My name is Higurashi Sango. And I am a demon-exterminator. We have come very far to see Sakura." At this, all eyes turned to the white-haired girl in question with wide eyes. Miroku continued for her.

"So Sakura, how's my special girl been? I haven't seen you since you were five-hundred. Your aunt and I are very tired, so if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to hear all about what you've been up to for the last fifteen years over a cup of hot tea."

There were at least three things on everyone's minds after hearing this:

"FIVE-HUNDRED?!"

"AUNT?! WAIT, UNCLE?!?!?!"

"Well guys, I couldn't have kept it secret for long!" She said cheerfully. "Sakura," The said girl turned around to face Miroku.

_"You haven't told them yet?"_

* * *

well guys! wht do u think? i hope the legnth was good, this chapter took me forever to finish! i'm just glad it's done! r & r pleez! 

try to get in your constructive critisizing compliments...it's from the office. pretty much the best show EvER!


	14. Chapter 14

ok, so, i like music. a lot. because of this, most of the ideas from this story were born from some of my favorite songs. this is why, in some chapters, i'd like to imagine "background music" being played. so, when i put a song **("Like This" By SoAndSo) **it means that this is the theme that's playing during the scene. also, to put a picture in your head (or rather, sound) if you could, i'd like you to listen to these songs maybe during the scene, or after the chapter. now, i plan on having multiple songs in one chapter, but i'll label the song before each scene, k?

Get it? Got it? Good. on with the story!!!

* * *

_"You mean you haven't told them yet?"_ Miroku asked incredulously. The monk could not believe his ears. How could any human being..er, _person_, keep this big of a secret for this long?! It was unconceivable! But then a voice piped up, breaking the increasingly awkward silence. 

"T-Told us what?". It was Tenten. As she asked her question, she met a pair of knowing amethyst eyes. The Weapon's Mistress knew that he knew that she was fully aware of what he was talking about. _"Better to act none the wiser."_ She thought. And that was all that mattered. "What hasn't Sakura-chan told us told us about?" Tenten reiterated, her tone exuding the confidence it had lacked before.

"Wait a minute!" Naruto's voice rang out, further breaking the quiet. "What are you talking about?! Sakura-chan would never hide anything this big from her friends! You're lying, I know it! You don't even know what you're talking about!"

"Naruto..." Sakura's demurer voice started. "Stop, please. He does kn-". She was cut off.

"No Sakura-chan! What is he talking about? Aunt and Uncle? Bullshit! Snap out of it!" The Kyuubi-vessle was poised to lunge at Miroku. When all of a sudden, there was a gentle hand on his shoulder. It was Sakura's.

* * *

"S-Sakura...chan?" Azure eyes scanned his teamate's body. Her wounds! T-They were gone! All of them! His mind started to race. _"But, but how?! She was stabbed in a major organ! Wait, could she have-no! That's impossible! Sakura-chan couldn't have a demon sealed inside her! I would ha__ve sensed it by now!" _An animalistic snort sounded in the dank, murky sewer that was his mind. _"Stupid kit."_ It was the Kyuubi himself. 

_"__One does not have to have a tailed-beast sealed within one's self to aquire demonic abilities. The other case is blood-inheritance, but one can be sure it is most always the rarest of scenarios. This..this jigoku-shoujo is uch more than meets the eye. How's that for bitter irony, ehh kit?"_. Naruto could picture the smug smirk the Nine-Tailed beast was sporting after the last comment. Kyuubi was referring to how weak everyone thought Sakura was when they were younger. As if to prove his point, the demon dragged out memories and images of Sakura during training back when the Rookie 9 were still Genin.

_"Ugghh. Do you ha__ve to show me those? Kami, go away." _Finishing on that thought, the Uzumaki teen blocked away thoughts of the Demon Lord and looked in front of him...

only to be greeted with a sight that would make his jaw hit the floor.

* * *

**("Taking Back Control" By Sparta)**

_"How long has it been?"_ Thought Sakura bitterly. _"How long since I played dress-up with you and Mommy?"_ Sakura turned her gaze away from Sango and looked into her uncle's gentle eyes. _"I remember spying on you and Daddy during your rehearsals in the garage. Remember that? And you guys caught me because I was clapping when you finished? Hahaha..." _Sakura started toward the newcomers, her molten sunrise orbs becoming glassy. _"I remember how Sango and I would sneak off into the woods and go exploring when she babysat me. How you taught me how to restring my guitar. How you used to hug my mom. How you used to tuck me in for a nap..."_

Sakura picked up her pace a little, hot tears were pooling around the bottom of her lids. The dreamland sensation of nostalgia fed the cyclone of her racing mind.

_"I remember! I remember!"_ She thought over and over. Then Sakura said something that made everyone's mouth drop...with the exception of a knowledgeable few, of course...

* * *

Sabaku no Temari was relieved. And I mean _relieved._ The Desert Lily, Sunagakure no Sato's own Lady Of The Fan, was so happy for her friend. _It's alright now Sakura. You can tell them now. You don't need to hide anymore."_

When Temari looked around at the faces of her comrades, she saw one unanimous emotion blossom on their features instantly: pure joy. Sakura was free now, she didn't have to bear that cross alone anymore. Maybe now she would let them help her...

* * *

Sakura cried out as she ran into the welcoming embrace of her uncle's arms. And what she said made Temari's eyes prick with the beginnings of tears.

_"Oba-san! Otooji-san! I missed you! I missed you so much!"  
_

* * *

_YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ANOTHER CHAPTER DONE!!!! THE NEXT ONE WILL BLOW YOUR SOCKS OFF!!!_


	15. Chapter 15

**FLASHBACK**_  
_  
Sakura looked up.

White. That was all she could see, just white. It was like she was floating in a plain of nothingness. All around her, a blank open canvas.

Her face scrunched up in confusion. _"Wait,"_ She thought. The look of confusion turned to surprise when she heard her thoughts echo aloud around her. She jumped a little at the volume at which she had heard it. Sakura heard something again, but this time it wasn't her thoughts. _"Huh?"_ She said (well, what she thought was,) aloud. This time her voice was projected even louder and more offensively. Her knees buckled slightly as she quickly clamped her hands over her ears to stop the onslaught of sound. When the ringing in her ears stopped, she uncupped them and for the second time, she heard that sound.

Sakura strained her ears to get a better listen. _"It sounds like…music…what song though? It sounds so familiar…"_ The music faded away. The raven-haired girl heard the strange tune fade back, but it was just barely above a ghostly whisper.

_"Feelings she never knew…"_

Sakura's liquid-turquoise eyes widened. She knew this song.

_"Pullin' you under now…"_

_"Oh Kami not this song."_ She feebly tried to cover her ears again.

_"You're fighting the undertow, before it sucks you down…"_

_"Pushin' the senses. We're pushin' the senses now. C'mon, c'mon! What're you gonna do, you can't find another day."_

_"C'mon, c'mon! You're pushin' your senses, pushin' your senses now!"_

* * *

Make it stop, Sakura thought to herself. This horrible song was so loud it flooded her being. It brought back so many memories. It was their first big concert, Neji, Kiba, Shikamaru and herself. They were opening for her father's band, and they had been amazing. 

_"Maybe it's not so bad," _She thought. She opened her ears again.

_"Always, cuz I can depend on you. But sometimes, it's burning a hole right through. Let's talk about it, ALWAYS! Cuz I can depend on you! But sometimes, it's burning a hole right through, keep pushin' the senses through!"_

Sakura recupped her ears. "Okay," She thought. "Maybe it IS so bad." She winced as the volume suddenly shot up again. She started hearing ringing echo through her head, and her fingers were becoming slimy with blood as they plugged her ears. Sakura doubled over, she couldn't take it anymore.

She screamed.

END FLASHBACK

* * *

"Sakura!" 

Said girl jumped out of her daze. "Huh?" She looked past the hand that was waving in front of her face. It was Tenten's. "Sakura! Jesus Christ! You've been out of it for like, five minutes! You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Don't worry about it. What were we talking about?" She realized she had been walking at the front of the group. They were at the edge of the forest. Sakura turned and looked at the rest of the Rookie 9. Besides her aunt and uncle, (and Ino of course, who was still out from that blow from Tenten,) everyone looked either afraid, worried, or just plain lost.

"You were telling all of us about these two strangers here." Said Shikamaru as he pointed his thumb at Sango and Miroku. Of Course the genious knew who the two of them were, but the others didn't. And he wasn't going to blow cover until Sakura blew hers. "Well, it's a bit late to say that." He thought tiredly. But he knew that Sakura hadn't told them everything, so he wasn't going to spill until she did.

Because, I mean, come on. What were brothers for?

* * *

"Have you ever heard of the Jigoku-Kaen Karite?" Sakura asked, her tone cold and business-like. 

"Who?" Sasuke asked skeptically. "The hell is she talking about?" "What does this have to do with them?" He asked bitingly while gesturing at the exterminator and monk. She was going completely off topic, he thought to himself.

"I'm getting to it." Sakura pivoted and looked the Uchiha Survivor directly in the eye. Sasuke had never heard her voice so venemous. He searched her narrowed eyes and could almost see the raw, animalistic power raging behind her golden orbs.

"Getting back to the story. Have any of you heard of him?" Sakura looked at the faces of sensei and student alike, and found no answer. "I'll take that as a 'no'. That's a name he rarely goes by though, so I'm not suprised. You may know him as,"

Everyone held their breath on the forrest path as they waited for her answer. Sakura turned her back to them and kept walking as as she continued.

"Howaido-Kiba Katsu: The White-Fanged Ripper."

* * *

Kiba winced slightly. He had alway been aware of the coined term used by enemies on the battlefield, but it still gave him the shivers. 

Kurenai and Azuma both gasped. They had been thinking the same thing. "How can Haruno-chan know about him? That's classified Konoha information! And not just Konoha! ALL the hidden ninja village-kages aren't supposed to breath a word of his existence to the public! The whole reason for the Third Great War was to help cover up his destruction! How can she know?!" Kurenai's wide and panicked eyes looked at Kakashi as Sakura said the blasphemous name. "Hatake!" She whispered urgently. Upon hearing his comrade's voice, Kakashi glanced away from his Icha Icha. "How does your student know about him? What the hell is Sakura-san talking about?!" Kurenai whispered urgently.

"You'll see." That was all The Copy-Nin said, and he buried his nose back into his book.

"Haruno-chan," Kurenai started. She took a step away from the group and closer to Sakura. "H-How do you know about Howaido-Kiba Katsu? Where did you hear that name?" Sakura picked up on the panic and anxiety in Kurenai's voice. "Well, it's to be expected, after all."

Sakura turned slightly and raised her hand to examine it in front of her face. It looked as if she was searching for Kurenai's answer in her palm. She squinted at her hand scrutinizingly. "Sakura," Kurenai started again. "How do you know of the Howaido-Kiba Katsu?

Sakura lowered her to let it rest back at her side. She looked down at her shoes with a distant look in her eyes. "I know who he is because," Everyone (except for, well, you know who) held their breath.

Sakura faced the group, her posture straight and legs spread shoulder-width apart. Clearly she spoke:

"I know who he is because he's my father."


	16. Chapter 16

**FLASHBACK  
**_  
"C'mon Baby-Girl, come to Daddy! You can do it baby! Come on!"_

_ The head of the Taisho household was crouching on the floor of the den. He cooed encouragingly to his six-month-old daughter. She just sat on the carpet, fiddling with her tiny hands. At the sound of her father's voice she turned and smiled her goofy baby smile at Inuyasha…and then went back to examining her hands._

_ "Ugh…" Inuyasha groaned and slumped down in defeat. His forehead hit the plush flooring with a muffled thud. Kagome walked into the den and kneeled beside her husband, a comforting hand rubbing his back. Beautiful blue-black hair fell from behind her ear as she leaned to whisper into his ear, a tranquil smile gracing her features._

_ "Sweetheart, she's only six months old. She won't be walking for at least another 4 or 5." A chuckle escaped her lips. "Besides, you don't want your little princess to grow up to fast do you?" A muffled whimper came from the carpet where the Demon Lord had his face buried. "What did you say hon?"_

_ Inuyasha lifted his face from the floor, his voice clear, but still tinged with an exasperated whine. "I said I know that already! But still! I mean come on, look who her parents are! Don't you think she should be at least like, I dunno, running or something by now?!" He turned his attention from his wife and back to his daughter across the floor. "C'mon Kura-Chan! Just a couple of steps for Daddy! Please? Please?!" Said baby just cocked her head and flopped onto her stomach and scuttled over to her father._

Kagome wrapped her arms around her husband's neck and watched as he picked up their baby girl and held her at arm's length, as though examining her like a show dog. Kagome loosened her grip around Inuyasha's neck and leaned back to look at him. "Just why do you want her up and walking so bad anyway?" She asked as she peered at him questioningly.

"I just want to make sure that she has something from me, besides looks. You know? I just want to be sure that when the time comes, she'll be ready for what ever the world throws at her. But I can't be sure unless I know she has my physical qualities too." Kagome looked at him with a knowing smile on her face. "She's going to be amazing, isn't she? You'll make sure of that."

_"But that's where you're wrong Tenshi," He turned his gaze to his daughter._

"She already IS amazing."

* * *

An audible gasp rang throughout the group of Nin. All of a sudden, Asuma flickered out of view and reappeared behind Miroku, a kunai against the raven-haired man's throat. And not a second later, Sango was behind the Jounin, her tanto aimed right at the base of his skull.

"What the hell are you doing Asuma?!" Kurenai shouted, wide-eyed and panicked. "If Sakura-san is telling the truth about her father, and if this man claims to be her uncle, then the blood of the Howaido-Kiba Katsu runs through his veins. This man is a criminal!"

Kakashi's calm exterior crumbled in an instant. "Asuma!" He yelled angrily. Asuma was taken aback and loosened his grip on his weapon. He stared at his best friend. "W-What? Kakashi…"

"Even if this man was in any way blood-related to the Ripper, it doesn't mean he's a criminal! Use your brain! You let fear take priority over reason!" Miroku grunted in agreement. "Besides," the monk cut in. "I am Sakura's uncle by blood, that is irrefutable. I am also related to Howaido-Kiba Katsu, but in marriage, not blood."__

* * *

_   
"Huh?"_ Asuma thought. 

"It means he's her mother's brother! Not her father's! Kami!" An until-now silent Neji cut in. "And how would you come to possess this bit of info Hyuuga?" Sasuke also cut in, a hostile tone in his voice. "Because! Now shut your trap jackass!" The two of them got into it with no intention of stopping, as the rest of the group was lost with a look of bewilderment on their faces. Tenten, Shikamaru, Temari, and Kiba all looked bored, albeit uncomfortable during this whole mess.

"EVERYONE SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!!" Yelled Sakura. Her tone oozed with irritation and exasperation. "Neji is right. He's my mother's brother, not my father's. But I'll get to the rest of that when we get to my house. It'll be much easier to explain once we get my aunt and uncle settled."

With that, Sakura turned on her heel and started to make her way back to town. Her stance and gait showed she was walking with a purpose. And that purpose was to show the world that she was more than the weak little pink-haired dead-weight that everyone knew her by. 

She was shedding the mask and showing her true colors, letting her REAL hair down. Because, with all those years wearing a metaphoric "mask" (and hat rather) it was getting uncomfortable for one of the most prominent quirks she had. She smiled determinedly on the inside, not noticing it showed externally as well. With her back to the group she couldn't see their disbelieving stares of shock…and humor.

* * *

Atop Sakura's white head, perched two very soft, very real…

Dog ears…

Oh yes…it was going to be an extremely long night. Yes indeed. 

* * *

**omg i am soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo sorry it has taken so long to update!!!!**

gomen nasai! gamoen nasai! a thousand times gomen nasai!!!!!!!! gah, i've just had so much shit going on and haven't had ANY time to focus on this.

A million thanks to all of you reviewers :) really, reading those at the end of the day makes me smile the rest of the night :) i love u all! until next time, peace.

Love Lipstick,  
Sakuyasha-Chan  



End file.
